Walking Rolodex-Career Development

The University of South Carolina's Career Center in my personal opinion is one of the best career centers I have seen offered by a university. From job placement assistance for current students and graduates, to a top notch resume builder called Optimal Resume, portfolio management, interview assistance and numerous career fairs often specific to areas of interest like Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Careerfest, and assistance with individual college fairs. The Career Center is a bevy of resources for all students, faculty and staff to better themselves professionally.

I met with Viki Fecas, Jan. 26 and will be meeting with Vicky Hamby in the coming weeks. This wasn't the first time I met Viki but this was the first "official" meeting. I sat in on her presentation on the millennial generation entering the workplace during the Students in Transition Conference last semester. Then there was that time in Which Wich, and again when I was in the Career Center for some bulletin board information...or was it when I was getting my resume chopped and screwed. Speaking of resumes...The career center is divided up into two very distinct components Employer Relations and Career Development. Viki was my career development person. She is like a walking USC Rolodex. She has been at USC about as long as I have been in existence. She has done her undergrad, grad and doctoral studies at USC.

The conversation was very informative, first a overview of the career development services the career center offers to her professional advice for me as a future higher ed/ student affairs person. Reaching walking Rolodex status is not achieved by simply waking up and deciding to meet lots of people, but taking the time to establish those connections and relationships and following up with them. Viki shared with me that many of the opportunities that have become available to her were not only because she was qualified, but because someone knew who she was, her capabilities and their was a working relationship there. Being in the right place at the right time doesn't hurt either.

From my chat with Viki I learned that great networks don't just happen. They take work, follow through and asking is there ever something, someone needs help with. By asking to help it not only makes you look like a go-getter but it establishes you as a reliable person. I have worked hard to meet a new person every single day since coming to USC. Initially it was because I didn't know anyone, but at the close of my four year career at USC I can honestly say that everything Viki said about making yourself available to help others puts you in a position to meet others and have influence.

Next note is my reflection on my USC experience...stay tuned.

Thanks Viki... I will be "networking" with you on furthering the millennial research.

NUFP Midpoint

A highlight of my experience thus far has been my attendance to the 15th Annual National Conference on Students in Transition hosted by the National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition. The conference was held early November and highlighted several presenters from around the country. This was an eventful experience because this was my first time being in the presence of student affairs practitioners from institutions other than my own.

The focus of my mentoring experiences has been directed towards issues relative to my institution, the conference helped me hear that no matter the size of the campus, the population of students or geographic location the issues in some way are the same and student affairs professionals are needed to develop innovative and challenging means of servicing the whole student and ensuring their academic, social and mental growth with limited resources. From the conference I further explored my interest in the growing need to address the millennial generation as they embark on the workplace. We are at a place in time where several generations are mixing in the workplace.

For the upcoming semester I expect to further explore offices that I initially did not express interest in like development, the career center, admissions and judicial. This semester I will talk to more of USC’s own upper administrators and gain an understanding of the history of student affairs and the direction they see it moving towards. These conversations will help me understand my further role in higher education and student affairs..

To ensure that I have an opportunity to explore as many aspects of student affairs I will continue to have one-on-one interviews with staff and graduate students in the various offices. Speaking with the grad students is less formal than the staff members because I just want to learn how they came to higher education and essentially, they have helped with my application process. I will gain skills in cultural competency by attending in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SLDC), I am also presenting on diversity during the New Member Institute sponsored by the Office of Greek Life. My mentor and I actively examine my personal goals, both academic and professional. I plan to keep up better with my blog regarding my NUFP experience, I will be attending the annual conference over Spring Break and continue to read and reflect on articles relative to current events relative to student affairs.

My mentor, Anna Edwards and I will continue to meet each week. Meeting each week, even if not for the whole hour just to touch base on articles assigned to read or comments heard on the news relative to higher education helped build and strengthen our relationship. I really appreciate the flexibility of our schedule. Almost every learning objective as defined for fellows has been met or my mentor and I have identified ways to meet the objectives.

Student's in Transition Conference

The Student's in Transition was hosted Nov. 8-10 at the Marriott Columbia. I wasn't able to stay the entire weekend due to other obligations due to being a RM. The Conference was very informative. I attended several sessions relative to "students in transition"

The first session was regarding Seniors in Transition by . This concept of develop programs for senior students to help transition them towards graduation was interesting. Being one of only two ugrads present. The other was from U of West Indies in Jamaica. Of all the programs U. of West Indies program seemed to be the most service learning based. But I think the individual attention that was paid to the students is attributed to the size of the institution and the programs were executed by who, I understood to be comparable to a RLC at USC.

My suggestions for USC is that a senior in transition program would be very helpful but only if presented as a session or optional seminar. I do not think enough students will register for a required class, considering the vigor of most senior schedules. Personally, I have 21hrs including two capstone courses that cover Public Relations Campaigns and Public Relations Management and I will not sit through another presentation aside for my requirements for graduation.

The conference overall was really interesting because it was the first time I really was able to converse with HESA professionals outside USC. I learned that the issues facing my insitution are similar to other insitutions. Regardless, the campus size, demographic, and socio-economic levels or region of the country student affairs professionals have to address the total needs of the student often times with limited resources.

Words for first year students

I recently came across a very positive blurb on being young, free and a student. This blurb embodies what I encourage all first year students do to when seeking to make the best experience out of his or her college experience. The author is unknown and I would not dare claim it as my own.

" live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have FUN, be CRAZY, be WEIRD. Go out and screw up! You're going to do it anyways, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn for your mistakes: find the cause of the problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human."

I would go further to say that college are the best years of your young life. What other opportunity do you have to make mistakes and it be ok. Some mistakes weigh heavier than others, but they are still just that mistakes. It is only when you fail to learn from your mistakes that the event was in vain.

Challenge yourself to step out your comfort zone and meet someone new. I have always claimed that I try to meet a new person EVERY single day, and since my junior year I have actually put it into practice. Walking up to random people has its pros and cons. Pro it has expanded my network of associates immensely. Con because I have made myself a person that can be easily identified leadership and growth opportunities avail themselves. This is a good problem to have.

Leadership on a college campus is easily acquired to those who are willing. The pool of those who are willing is shrinking faster than the minority rate at USC. I challenge you to step outside the "minority" organizations and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Essentially, have fun, make mistakes, meet do people and step out the box that your parents and rearing have formed for you until now.

Until next time.

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Cause Simon(a) says so...

Society is really interesting. Our society...across the world has developed this idea that we are capable of assigning what someone is going to grow up and become. And our actions further perpetuate the assumption of these roles. I am being very vague here with my statement. Society has determined what is a guy and what is a girl. Ok...I understand that when you are born, there are just some things that can't really be argued. Biologically there is male, female or inter sex (based on anatomical, chromosomal and hormonal characteristics) but that is a biological sex. Gender is the characteristic assigned based on external sex organs. Follow me?

Think back to the last time a friend, family member or associate was expecting a child or recently delivered a child. The first question that anyone ever ask is, "is it a boy or girl?" No one ever cares if the child is healthy, have all 10 fingers and toes...but is it a boy or a girl. Are we so caught up in buying blue for boys and pink for girls that we deny the child an opportunity to develop gender neutral. Have you ever seen little boys rough housing and justified, "boys will be boys" or "insist a little girl play with her tea set". What happens to those individuals who decide
to challenge a gender conforming expectation. What if a girl wants to rough house with the guys and if a boy wants to have a tea party. It seems to be more accepted that females are allowed to blur the gender lines a little bit. When she is young she is called a tom-boy and as she gets older there is the expectation that she will grow out of the phase a join a conforming society of expected gender roles. Guys don't have nearly as much freedom of expression

A few definitions so you can keep up with this entry.
*gender conforming- a term used to describe a person who by nature or choice conforms to gender expectations of society (genderstraight)
**gender binary- a social classification that divides gender identity into masculine and feminine with expected gender roles, gender expression and characteristics for each one
***genderqueer- term used to describe a person who crosses gender lines through appearance and behaviors without necessarily trying to pass as a different gender; also used to describe a person who challenges the gender binary and/or gender stereotypes.

No that the verbiage is out the way. A few questions or things to think on. Isn't it interesting that as a people we are so concerned with labeling something that we give things with labels more labels. Do we find comfort in the ability to explain something that we don't understand.

Back to what Simon(a) says. Males have a social expectation to be manly men. Men don't cry, show emotion, or do any other behaviors that would otherwise show them to be feminine. Has this crippled men from a inability to develop emotional responses to how they feel. if a guy tears up, not even cry how do other men view them. If a female wants to be strong and never be told never, or even play rough with the guys is she then not lady-like.

Have you ever seen someone, male or female that didn't fit the labels that society has created. Have you walked pass someone with so "funky" or "questionable" a style at first instinct it, "oh they must be gay." Do you stifle others creativity and freedom of self expression from fear of being mislabeled as something they are not. Per a earlier post. We are a people who judge quickly and do not avoid assumptions because someone doesn't fit the mold for what is "acceptable" they are automatically labeled weird.

I challenge you to step out the little box the doctor put you in many years ago and showcase the self expression that exist inside each of you. I am not telling every girl to go invest in big shirts and baggy jeans nor am I telling males to whip out the pumps. But I am challenging you to be unique, be different. be random even. And not judge others based off of what you see or think you see. You will only be limiting the potential for great lifelong relationships with people based off an expectation society has created as to the role of boys and girls.